What is an emergency?

What is an emergency?

Within Cheshire Halton & Warrington all responding agencies work to Cheshire Police definitions for Major and Serious incidents.

Definition of a Major Incident

• The rescue and transportation of a large number of casualties;
• The involvement either directly or indirectly of large numbers of people;
• The handling of a large number of enquiries likely to be generated both from the public and the news media usually to the Police;
• Any incident that requires the large scale combined resources of the emergency services;
• The mobilisation and organisation of the emergency services and supporting organisations, e.g.: Local authority to cater for the threat of death, serious injury or homelessness to a large number of people.
• In the event of a Major Incident being declared, Warrington Borough Council will be asked to send an officer of an appropriate level to attend at police silver control.       

Definition of a Serious Incident

• Has the potential to develop into a Major Incident, or
• Involves contamination of the environment, water courses or air pollution, or
• Involves evacuation or potential for evacuation of any members of the public or,
• Involves major road closures, or
• Involves the distribution of health advice to any members of the public.